Heroes, Loyalty and Devotion

Paper Summary:

The paper shows how despite a similar emphasis on loyalty, the way that this value is celebrated in "Beowulf and "The Tale of the Heike" is very different. The paper explains that the hero Beowulf demonstrates his prowess through individual struggle and excellence while the good warriors of the "The Tale of the Heike" collectively show their greatness through their loyalty to their lord. The paper clarifies further that the negation of the self shown by Beowulf is demonstrated by putting the lives of others before his own to make a better community while the negation of the self in "The Tale of Heike" is shown in unswerving devotion to a lord above all other things and showing ruthlessness in battle towards the enemy that opposes the lord.

From the Paper:

"Both "Beowulf" and "The Tale of the Heike" relate military narratives of bloody, bitter conflicts in war-torn societies where human civilization is fragile and savage threats are common. Men and women must band together, just to survive. The heroic individuals that triumph in these early sagas of early Scandinavian and feudal Japan define the values of their early societies by the ethics and character they show during trying times. "Beowulf's" triumphs are physical, like his triumph over Grendel, as well as spiritual, and the warriors of "The Tale of the Heike," even when defeated win moral victories over their enemies because of the superior loyalty they show to their lord and to the emperor."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Beowulf." Novel Analysis. [17 Jul 2007]http://b.casalemedia.com/V2/41979/91392/index.html?www.novelguide.com/Beowulf/themeanalysis.html
• McKee Dan. "Heike Monogatari - Tale of the Heike." Artlino. 2001. [17 Jul 2007]http://www.artelino.com/articles/heike-monogatari.asp
• Sensei. "Tale of the Heike." 2000. Everything2.com. [17 Jul 2007]http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=643472

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